National Republican., 1887-08-09
OPENING TIE BIDs.
whitney Relieved aud Grati.
1ed by tho Result.

Bids were opened in the Office OF the
Secretary Of the Navy at noon yesterday for
cruiser No. /, known as the Newark, 1900
tons displacement, provided for by the act
OF Mar. 8, 1887, and for FIVE other vessels,
cruisers Nos. 4 and 8, Of 1000 tons dis
placement, and guuboats Nos. aud 4, OF
1,700 tons displacement, OF tho type OF
gunboat No. all Of which were, e,provlded for
by the act Of Mar. Q, 1887. Asis customary,
three clasaeR OF bids were allowed-class /.
for the construction OF the hull aud
machinery in accordance with the plans and
specifications provided by the department;
class 2, for the hull and machinery In ac-
cordance with the plans OF the contractor,
and class 3, for the construction OF the hull
according to the plans OF the department
with plans of the contractor for machinery.
At the time appointed the Office OF the
Secretary was filled with representatives Of
prominent shlpbuilding companies, chiefs OF
bureaus, and other naval officers, and rop-
resentatives Of the press.
The number OF bids received was not
large, but all the vessels were BID upon at
figures well within tho limits OF the
appropriations.
Cramp & Sons were the only bidders
upon the Newark cruiser No. /, class
| (the departments hull and their own
| machinery at l,24S, 900. The firm also
| submitted the following bids on the other
vessels: Cruisers Nos. 4 and 5, class /,
| $l,110,000 each; cruisers Nos. 4 and 5, class
| 2, 81 ,325,000 each; for the same vessels and
same class, with certain notifications,
| 81, $50, GOO each; cruisers 4 aud 5, class 3,
| 81, ,405, 600, and for gunboats and 4, $405.-
| 600 each. The Uni0n Iron Works submitted
bid for cruisers Nos. 4 and 5, class l, ST.
42S, 900. N. +. Palmer, ir., g. Co., OF New
York (the Quintard Company submitted a
bid Of 100000 for gunboats 3and 4, class l.
| Cramp & Sons were the only bidders for
cruiser No. /, and were the lowest bidders
for cruisers Nos 4 and 5, so that II prob
able that they will be awarded the contracts
for the three cruisers, and that the Qulntard
Co., of New York, will be awarded the
contracts for the two gupboats.
Secretary Whitney said, after the opening
| OF the bids, ut Is great relief to my mind
getting this out Of the way. The require
ments which the contractors assume are
more exacting than In the case Of any pre-
vious bidding. The law for cruisers Nos.
and 8 provides that the contracts for the
construction Of them shall contain
provisions to the effect that the contractor
guarantees that when completed and tested
for speed, under conditions to be prescribed
by the Navy Department, the vessel shall
exhibit maximum speed OF ut least 10
knots per hour, and for every quarter knot
| of speed so exhibited over and above said
guarantee the contractor shall receive a
premium over and above his contract price
Of $4,000, and for every quarter knot that
said vessel fails OF reaching said guaranteed
speed there shall be deducted from the con-
tract price the sum Of $50,000.' The depart
ment has prescribed four hours run for
the trial-the vessel to be loaded to her
mean load draught-so that there Is to be
no shamming In the conditions Of the trial.
This contract is bid for Dy both the Union
Iron Works and Cramp Il Sons, and 1t is a
requirement which calls for boat up to the
highest point In the point Of speed which
these cruisers have reached anywhere.
~ notice that the Cramps offer to guar
antee these results upon their own deslgns
or$l00,000 less than they ask to do II upon
the departments designs. This shows con
fdence in their ability. OF course the ex
actions Of the bidding drive of people who
are not sure of their ground; but consider
that we are very fortunate In being able tc
place all of the boats with responsible par
ties with these very exacting requirements
"The gunboats are bid for by Mr.. Quln-
tald, one of Mr.. Roach's assignees, or raIh Il
by Mr.. Quintard's concern, aud II the
award is made to Mr.. Palmer, he inform!
me that the hulls will be built at'the Roach
works at Chester, and the machinery wish
the Quintard Iron Works"